I Still Love You
by Adriene Alexandra Wayne
Summary: A moment between Raph and Leo...no, not that kind of moment, you nasty. ;)


**I Still Love You...No Matter What.**

** (or Brothers Stand By Each Other)**

"Raph, we need to talk." Leonardo stated in a tired voice and placed his hand on his brother's shoulder.

Raphael's response was an unintelligible grumble.

He was currently sitting on the couch, bent almost in half with his head in his hands. He stood up to follow his brother out of the lair, never meeting his brother's gaze. Leonardo led him to the surface and up onto the rooftops.

Leonardo walked to the ledge and placed his foot on it, his eyes trained on the city below him. Raphael stood behind him, his arms crossed and his focus on the roof in front of him.

A long silence ensued, the two brothers remaining solidly in place. One searched for the right words to say; the other broken inside, but hiding behind an angry scowl. Two brothers with many differences, both willing to die for the other.

Raphael shifted impatiently from foot to foot and cleared his throat.

"Leo, you gonna tell me why we're up here?"

Leonardo sighed and turned to face the red masked turtle.

"Raph..." He trailed off.

Raphael looked at him expectantly.

Leonardo's gaze shifted downward, desperate to find the right words.

A flashback from earlier that day ran through his mind.

He saw the anger flare up in his hot tempered brother's eyes and watched in slow motion as he tackle Mikey to the ground and began to repeatedly punch him in the face.

He saw Donatello and himself rush in to protect their youngest brother from Raphael's rage.

He saw the horrified look in Michelangelo's baby blue eyes as he gently wiped the blood from his face.

He saw the back of Raphael's scarred shell as he marched out of the lair, heedless of their shouting.

A slight breeze teased the tails of his blue mask and brought his mind back to the present.

He finally brought his gaze to meet that of his brother. He finally knew what to say.

"Raphael,"he started,"You do know that I love you, right?"

Raphael's green eyes grew wide and he tried to retain his tough exterior. Leo had caught him completely off-guard.

"Leo...I.." He stuttered.

Leo waited.

Raphael gazed at him in disbelief: these were not the words he had expected to come out of his eldest brother's mouth.

Leo's ocean blue eyes softened as he gazed at his brother.

He saw Raphael's disbelief and watched as he tried to hide it with a snort.

"Raph, I know you didn't mean it,"he said. "I know that you would never mean to hurt Mikey."

Raphael looked down in shame as he recalled the earlier assault on his baby brother. Michelangelo should know by now when not to push his buttons, but Raph knew, as the older of the two, it was his responsibility to be the mature one.

He was horrified by his earlier loss of control.

Leo watched as his brother began to tremble and a look of utter horror appeared on his face.

He ran forward and caught his brother just as Raph's legs failed him.

Leo wrapped his strong arms around Raph and held him in a strong hug.

The two turtles knelt there as Raphael buried his head in his brother's shoulder and cried.

Leo gently rubbed his shell and murmured reassuringly into his brother's ear.

After what seemed like hours, Raph pushed out of his brother's arms and stood to face him.

Leo remained on his knees and silently gazed up at his brother, knowing he had something he needed to say.

Raphael cleared his throat and rubbed the remaining tears from his eyes.

"Leo, I know I haven't been the best brother and I've let you down..."Raph rubbed his head in frustration. "Ah shell, Leo! I have got to be the worst bro ever! What kind of a guy beats on his kid brother?!"

Leo stood up and grabbed Raph's arm.

"Raphael! That's enough! You listen to me! You are the best wing man I could ever ask for: there is no other turtle out there whom I would rather have at my side. You are the strong one whom I know I can count on to have my back."

"How could you trust me Leo?" Raph asked angrily "I just beat the shell out of our baby brother!"

Raph walked over to a wall and punched it hard. Leo walked over and placed his hand on his shoulder. Raph stared at his hand as pain shot up his arm and blood dripped from his knuckles. He was pretty sure he had just broken his finger and Donatello would give him a severe lecture for his recklessness before gently wrapping his hand.

Leo took a deep breath before responding.

"Raph-"Leo started, but Raph cut him off.

"No Leo. Don't. I was way off base." Raph stated "I don't see how Mikey could ever forgive me for this."

Raph reached down and snatched up soda can and hurled onto the next rooftop.

"I don't deserve forgiveness."

Leo looked stunned.

He knew that no words he could say would get through to his brother in this state.

Leo sighed.

Raphael again walked to the ledge and sat down and held his head in his hands.

He had finally reached his breaking point; he felt broken inside.

Leonardo could sense his brother's dilemma and it broke his heart. Sure, Raph had really screwed up this time, but it wasn't unforgivable.

Leonardo walked over and again wrapped his brother in a strong hug.

"Yeah Raph, you did mess up badly this time, but you are still my brother and I still love you no matter what."

Raph allowed the warmth of his brother's words penetrate his hard shell and finally came to accept that his brother really did love him, short temper and all.

"Thanks, bro. I love you too."

**~fin**


End file.
